Massaman Curry Recipe

I absolutely love Thai food and one of my favorite dishes is Massaman Curry. Now this particular curry hails from Southern Thailand but has lots of strong Indian influences dating back to the ancient days of the spice trade.

Nowadays, you can buy ready made Massaman Curry paste in most large grocery stores, supermarkets and in any Thai or Asian grocery stores. But if you are a vegetarian or vegan, most of the ready made Massaman Curry products unfortunately contain both fish sauce (nam pla) or dried shrimp paste. But no need to worry - I have provided my very own vegetarian/vegan-friendly home made recipe for Massaman Curry paste. My home made recipe is also safe for those with seafood/shrimp allergies. It may not be 100% authentic Thai, but then again neither am I -- so let’s just say it’s my delicious Indianized version and leave it at that ☺. But if the non-vegetarian ingredients certainly are not an issue, then by all means go ahead & buy the ready made Massaman Curry paste – I know it’s a huge timesaver.

If you have the time (or are so inclined) - I highly recommend using fresh whole spices, toasting them lightly in a dry skillet & then grinding them into a fine powder in a spice mill or clean coffee grinder. Then adding them to the recipe as required.

This very aromatic & flavorful curry paste can literally be added to anything such as chicken, seafood, various meats, vegetables or any combination thereof of your choosing. The Massaman Curry paste also works well with boiled eggs, paneer or extra firm tofu. The only thing you will need to adjust is the cooking times accordingly.

Now the old school Thai method requires vigorous & aggressive pounding using a mortar/pestle to make the Massaman Curry paste – so go old school if you wish. It’s both great exercise & stress relief – two birds/one stone kinda thing ☺.

Otherwise using a blender or food processor -- blend together the shallots along with the garlic, galangal, lemongrass stalks & lime zest (adding just a little water if necessary to help the process along). Next, add the peanuts & the spices (ground cumin powder, ground coriander powder, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom powder, star anise powder, ground cloves, nutmeg, salt & pepper). Blend all of the ingredients into a thick paste.

You can store the Massaman Curry paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (mine never lasts that long & is usually finished in less than a week ☺). You can also freeze it, so you will always have some on hand when you’re craving my delicious Massaman Curry!

In a large deep skillet or wok on medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the onions and sauté until just translucent. Then add the Massaman Curry paste along with ½ can of thick coconut milk. Stir well and let cook for a few minutes until fragrant & aromatic. Now add the tamarind paste and palm sugar, stir well to dissolve. Next, add the spices (Bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, salt & pepper). Let the spices cook for a few minutes, then add the potatoes & the rest of the coconut milk. Stir well to combine. Now reduce the heat to low, cover & let simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Lastly add the shrimp along with the peanuts. If the curry is too thick, just add a little water as needed. Mix well to combine and let cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked (they will be opaque & slightly curled up). Garnish with the Thai basil leaves & serve with fragrant Basmati or Thai Jasmine rice.

Also, my Massaman Curry Paste makes a delicious marinade for chicken, meat, seafood, paneer & vegetables. Simply add a few tbsp of coconut milk to the paste to make a marinade. Just marinate for a few hours & then grill/bbq or even broil in an oven. Simple, easy & super yummy!